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Current Affairs September 17 2019

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 comes into effect
On September 16, 2019 The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 which provides for the eviction of unauthorized occupants from public premises in certain cases has come into effect. It amends the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The new bill is expected to increase the availability of government residential accommodations for eligible beneficiaries and reduce the waiting period.
i. The Bill defines ‘residential accommodation occupation’ as the occupation of public premises by a person on the grant of a license for such an occupation.  The license must be given for a fixed tenure, or for the period the person holds office. The occupation must be allowed under the rules made by the central, state or union territory government, or a statutory authority………………………………Click here to Read more

New amendments made to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2011
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified that it has amended the rules governing the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2011.
i. As per the amended rules, the individuals who receive gifts up to Rs 1 lakhare not required to inform the government.
ii. In case of emergency medical aid needed during a visit abroad, the acceptance of foreign hospitality has to be intimated including the source, approximate value in Indian rupees and the purpose for which the aid has been taken and the manner in which it was utilized to the government within 1 month of such receipt. The earlier limit was 2 months (within)………………….Click here to Read more

Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated NCCCR&D at IISc-Bengaluru
On September 16, 2019, Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated the National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D) at Indian Institute of Science (IISc)- Bengaluru, Karnataka which was set up by the union government through the Department of Science & Technology (DST), in the presence of Secretary, DST ,Prof. Ashutosh Sharma and Director, IISc, Prof. Anurag Kumar.Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated NCCCR&D at IISc-BengaluruKey Points:
i. It is a national level consortium on clean coal Research & Development (R&D) and it is led by the IISc- Bengaluru. IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)- Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati, Bombay, and Hyderabad are its partners.
ii. Organisations such as the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), Bharat Heavy Electronics Ltd. (BHEL), Tata Power, and Triveni Turbines Ltd are the target beneficiaries of NCCCR&D.
iii. The Minister also dedicated India’s first of its kind centre equipped with state-of-art facilities- an Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research (ICER) to the nation. It is one of the youngest centres at IISc- Bengaluru.
iv. India has an aim to generate 175 GW(Giga-Watt) of clean energy by 2022. Out of this, 100 GW would be through solar and remaining through other sources.
v. The target to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases stands between 33% and 35% by 2030 and country has reduced it to 21%.
About Ministry of Science & Technology:
 Formed: May 1971
 Constituency of Dr Harsh Vardhan: Chandni Chowk, New Delhi

EAM and MHRD launched PhD fellowship programme for ASEAN students in IITs
On September 16, 2019, External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India Dr S Jaishankar and Minister of Human Resource Development (MHRD) Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) fellowship programme, initially launched by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for the students from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In January 2018, prime minister Modi had notified to offer 1000 integrated PhD fellowships for ASEAN students in IITs at the 25th Anniversary ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi.EAM and MHRD launched PhD fellowship programme for ASEAN students in IITsKey Points:
i. IIT-Delhi is designated by the MHRD as the coordinating IIT for the fellowship programme and it has developed a web portal (http://asean.iitd.ac.in) to administer the application and admission process.
ii. The total budget outlay for the fellowship programme is Rs 300 crore (approximately US $ 45 million).
iii. Fellowship programme is the single-largest capacity development initiative of India in its partnership with ASEAN.

First edition of SITMEX- Trilateral Maritime exercise of Singapore, India and Thailand of 2019 begins in Port Blair
5 days maiden trilateral exercise of Singapore, India and Thailand named SITMEX (Singapore-India-Thailand Maritime Exercise) was commenced on September 16, 2019 at Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands to strengthen the maritime relationships of the three countries and to enhance security. The maiden IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral exercise will conclude on September 20, 2019.First edition of SITMEX- Trilateral Maritime exercise 2019Key points
i. Navies:

  • India-Indian navy (IN)
  • Singapore-  Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and
  • Thailand- Royal Thailand Navy (RTN).

ii. Phases:
The exercise has two phases. They are,

  • Shore phase at Port Blair which involves activities like professional exchanges, sports fixtures and cross deck familiarisation visits.
  •  Sea phase scheduled from September 18-20, 2019 at the Andaman sea involves activities like surface and air operations with Gunnery, force protection measures and communication drills

iii. Exercise features:
Singapore’s RSN Tenacious(stealth frigate) and His Majesty’s Thailand Ship (HTMS)Kraburi(missile frigate) will exercise with Indian Naval Ship(INS)-Ranvir- missile destroyer, Kora- missile corvette(a small warship designed for convoy escort duty) and Sukanya- offshore patrol vessel along with P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft.
About IN:
♦ Founded- 5 September 1612.
♦ Motto- Shaṁ No Varunaḥ (May the Lord of the Water be auspicious unto us).
♦ Commander in Chief- President Ram NathKovind.
♦ Chief of Naval Staff- Admiral Karambir Singh.

Kerala govt and RCC jointly signs MoU with Maldives on cancer care
On September 16, 2019 the govt. of Kerala and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) jointly signed Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Maldives to strengthen cancer care in the island nation by giving training to doctors.  Maldivian minister Abdulla Ameen and Kerala’s health minister KK Shylaja signed the MoU in presence of Kerala Chief Minister(CM) Pinarayi Vijayan.Kerala govt and RCC jointly signs MoU with MaldivesAbout Kerala:
♦ Capital- Thiruvananthapuram.
♦ Governor-  Arif Mohammad Khan.
♦ Important rivers-Bharathapuzha River, ChalakkudyRiver,Neyyar River, Periyar River, Kurumali River.

Indian Railways undertakes “Massive Shramdan” drive with main focus on collection of plastic waste
On September 17, 2019, The Indian Railways has once again carrying out a “Massive Shramdan” drive movement aimed at collecting plastic waste from all railway premises to create awareness for a greater impact against single-use plastic.
Key points:
i. Railways has carried out such movements from September 2, 2019 (a 10 days cleanliness drive for trains and stations).
ii. For the best work to make cleanliness work culture, Railways had won the Best Union Ministry Swachhata award by the President of India on 6th September 2019 for the year 2018-19.
iii. To mark the Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary on October 2, 2019, Railways also undertaking various activities relating to Swachhata Pakhwada from September 11 – October 2, 2019.
About Indian Railways:
♦ Founded
: 8 May 1845
♦ Headquarters : New Delhi
♦ Union Minister: Piyush Goyal

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

SCO exercise “Tsentr (centre) 2019” commenced in DONGUZ Ranges, Russia
On September 14, 2019 the opening ceremony of exercise “TSENTR 2019” which forms part of the Russian Armed Forces’ annual training cycle, under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), was conducted at the DONGUZ ranges  near Orenburg, Russia. 8 SCO member countries inclusive of Russia namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan are participating in the exercise that will conclude on 23 September 2019. The exercise which mainly focuses on countering international terrorism, comprises of two modules where the first module focuses on counter-terror operations,defensive measures and the second module focuses on offensive operations.Tsentr (centre) 2019

BANKING & FINANCE

Indian banks’ 2018-19 savings deposits stood at Rs 39.72 lakh crore
According to the Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy 2018-19 released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on September 15, 2019, the aggregate savings deposits in the Indian private and public sector banks (PSBs) reached Rs 39.72 lakh crore as on March 31, 2019. The foreign banks had a share of Rs 58,630 crore.
i. Savings deposits: The total savings deposits with commercial banks (including foreign banks) in 2018- 19 stood at Rs 40.31 lakh crore, up from Rs 36.55 lakh crore in 2017-18.
ii. Credit growth:The PSB credit growth for Q1 June 2019-20, increased to 8.7%. The aggregate deposits growth stood at 6.7%. The credit growth of foreign banks stood at 5.4% and the aggregate deposits growth was 19.3%. Bank credit between April and June 2019 grew by 11.7%, against a growth of 11.1% in April and June 2018. But it was lower than the 13.1% growth in bank credit in the Q4 of 2018-19………………..Click here to Read more

RBI allows all recurring bill payments through BBPS
On September 16, 2019 the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has extended the use of the Bharat Bill Payment System(BBPS) for all recurring(repetitive) payments such as school fees, insurance premiums and municipal taxes, Equated Monthly Installments (EMI) on a voluntary basis except for prepaid recharges to extend the scope and coverage of BBPS.
Key points
i. Current facility: The BBPS is currently available only in 5 segments. They are Direct To Home (DTH), electricity, gas, telecom and water.
ii. The biller categories are expected to increase the user base of BBPS according to analysts.
About BBPS: 
i. BBPS was formed in the year 2013 under the aegis of National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI) which acts as authorized Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU).
ii. The NPCI sets protocols for technical and business requirements for participants of BBPS and also undertakes clearing and settlement activities.
iii. Formation:  The BBPS was formed after theCommittee headed by G. Padmanabhan – RBI’s former Executive Director was in 2013 to study giro based payment’s feasibility and implementation.
Giro: Payment transfer from one bank account to another bank account and initiated by the payer, not the payee (person to whom money is paid).
About RBI:
♦ Governor-  Shaktikanta Das.
♦ Headquarters- Mumbai.
♦ Founded- 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

Government exempts 2% TDS on cash payments of over Rs 1 crore made through APMCs
Finance Minister of India Smt Nirmala Sitharaman notified that 2% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on cash payments above Rs 1 crore made through Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) will be exempted and it is set to be effective from October 1, 2019. This is aimed to discourage cash transactions and move towards a less-cash economy.
Other announcements:
i. An additional 15% depreciation was declared to be allowed on motor vehicles purchased between August 23, 2019, and March 31, 2020, taking the depreciation rate to 45%.
ii. The depreciation on cars purchased during the period was declared at the rate of 30% as against the normal rate of 15%.
iii. For buses, lorries and taxis, the depreciation rate was increased to 45% from 30%.
About TDS:
It is the collection of revenue at the very source of income. It is essentially an indirect method of collecting tax which combines the concepts of “pay as you earn” and “collect as it is being earned.”
About Depreciation:
Depreciation is the reduction in value of tangible fixed assets like plants and machinery, buildings, vehicles, etc due to normal usage, wear and tear, new technology or unfavourable market conditions.

Code for Responsible Lending (CRL) for the micro-credit industry launched by MFIN, Sa-Dhan and FIDC
In order to bring more transparency & address customer-centric issue, the Code for Responsible Lending (CRL) for the microcredit industry was jointly launched by Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), the RBI-recognised self-regulatory organization & and industry association for the microfinance industry, Sa-Dhan along with  FIDC(Finance Industry Development Council) at Sa-Dhan’s 15th Annual National Conference 2019 held in New Delhi.
Key points:
i. A revised industry Code of Conduct (CoC) was also unveiled during the Conference for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) that will act as a binding and requisite set of guidelines with respect to lending exercises.
ii. The revised microfinance code mandates that only three microcredit entities can lend loans to a single client and cap the size of total lending to Rs 1 lakh per microfinance customer (a person who has an annual household income of Rs 1 lakh in rural India and Rs 1.6 lakh in urban India). It also bars lending to a customer whose loan has turned non-performing & lending will not be allowed without update credit bureau report.
iii. More than 90 microcredit entities have signed up for the code, with more expected to endorse it.
iv. At present, a wide range of credit lenders such as NBFC-MFIs(Non-Banking Financial Company- Micro finance Institutions), banks, small finance banks (SFBs), NBFCs and Non-profit/Section 8 MFIs, under different regulatory framework, provide micro-credit to over 5 crore women customers from low-income households.
v. Banks hold 40.9 % share of the total micro-credit at the end of June 2019 while NBFC-MFIs are the second largest lender registering for 30.2 % share. SFBs (Small Finance Banks) have a share of 17%, NBFCs 10.8 % and other MFIs witnessed for 1% share.

ECGC introduces ‘NIRVIK’ scheme to provide 90% insurance cover on the loan amount of exporters: Piyush Goyal
On September 16, 2019, The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) has released a new Export Credit Insurance Scheme (ECIS) called NIRVIK (Niryat Rin Vikash Yojana) to ease the lending of loan to exporters so that they can get loans easily from banks. The details of the scheme were shared by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal during a press conference at New Delhi. Central government will also give support of 8,500 crore rupees to ECGC in the next five years.
Key points:
i. The scheme provides 90% insurance cover on the loan amount of exporters & it covers on both principal and interest. The insurance cover will include both pre and post-shipment credit. At present ECGC provides credit guarantee of up to 60 % loss for both Principal and Interest.The enhanced cover mandates that foreign and rupee export credit interest rates should be below 4 % and 8 5 respectively for exporters.The ECIS support will be effective for 5years.
ii. Small Exporter, who has an Outstanding Limit below 80 crores can get ECGC’s insurance premium rate for 0.60 per annum and for those exceeding Rs.80 crore, it will be 0.72 per annum for the same enhanced cover.
Banks will pay premium on a monthly basis on the Principal  & Interest to ECGC as the cover is offered for both outstandings. Under the scheme, inspection of bank documents and records by ECGC officials shall be mandatory for losses exceeding Rs.10 crore as against the current Rs.1crore.
iii. Under this arrangement, if an Exporter is unable to repay the loan and makes an insurance claim, then ECGC will pay 50% of the claim amount within 30 days.
About ECGC:
♦ Founded :30 July 1957
♦ Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra,
♦ Chairman & MD : Geetha Muralidhar
 It provides export credit insurance support to Indian exporters and is controlled by the Ministry of Commerce. Government of India.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Commerce Minister PiyushGoyal launched digital platforms for origin certificate issuance and steel import monitoring system (SIMS)
On September 16, 2019 the Commerce and industry minister Shri Piyush Goyal (also railway minister) and Piyush Goyal and minister of State Hardeep Singh puri launched Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) for obtaining steel import information by the govt and other stakeholders for efficient policy intervention. Piyush also launched a Common digital platform for electronic Certificates of Origin (CoO) issuance. This platform will act as a single access point for exporters, Free Trade Agreements(FTA)/ Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA) and others.
Key points
i. SIMS registration: Importers of specified steel products can register in advance not earlier than the 60th day and not later than the 15th day before arrival of import consignment in SIMS web portal. The registration number granted will remain for 75 days.
ii. CoO registration: Exporters can register on the platform and apply for CoOs to any of the designated agencies. India has 15 FTA/PTA with various partner countries.
About Ministry of Commerce and Industry:
♦ Headquarters- New Delhi.
♦ Minister of state(MoS)- SomParkash (constituency- Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha Constituency, Punjab)
♦ Consituency of PiyushGoyal-  Maharashtra.

Wipro Infrastructure and BEML signs MoU to work together in technical sections in Bengaluru
On September 16 2019, the Public Sector Unit (PSU) Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU), to work in areas such as aerospace components through special economic zone(SEZ) , industrial automation processing, 3-D printing, artificial intelligence and hydraulic system engineering. The MoU was signed in Bengaluru between DK Hota, the Chief Managing Director(CMD) of BEML and Pratik Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of WIN.Wipro Infrastructure and BEML signs MoUKey points
i. The two firms will work together on projects, products, systems, services for Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) labs and other govt. entities.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Overview of 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for 2019
The 71st annual Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony for 2019 was held over two nights on September 14- 15, 2019 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, United States. They were presented in technical and acting categories. They were given away before 71st Emmy Awards (Primetime Emmy Awards) scheduled to be held on September 22, 2019.

  • Home Box Office’s (HBO) Game of Thrones received 10 awards at Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2019.
  • HBO’s “Chernobyl” won 7 awards and Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” won 6 awards.
  • Norman Lear became the oldest Emmy Winner at the age of 97 for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) in ‘Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons special’. He surpassed the record held by Sir David Attenborough (aged 93)…………………Click here to Read more

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina was conferred 2019 Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award in Dhaka
On September 16, 2019 Bangladesh Prime Minister(PM) Sheik Hasina was awarded Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award for the year 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was awarded by T.P. Sreenivasan, Chief Adviser of the Dr Kalam Smriti International Advisory Council for her contribution in holding a healthy relation between India and Bangladesh,International peace and cooperation. With this award, Hasina has so far received 37 international accolades.Dr KalamSmriti International Excellence AwardDrKalamSmriti International Excellence Award:
This award is constituted in memory of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the eminent scientist and former president of India. The award honours statesmen or leaders having shown excellence in respective fields in achieving the best for their countries. Constituted since 2015, the prestigious award was previously received by Presidents of the Maldives, Ghana and Mauritius.
Trophy:  The trophy of the award is created in wood and brass by renowned sculptor of Kerala, Kanayi Kunhiraman.
About Bangladesh:
♦ Capital- Dhaka.
♦ Currency- Bangladeshi taka.

Raghu Rai becomes first recipient of inaugural 2019 “Acadmie des beaux-arts Photography Award – William Klein”
On September 16, 2019, renowned Indian photographer Raghu Rai was chosen as the first recipient of the inaugural  “Acadmie des beaux-arts Photography Award – William Klein” for the year 2019 and will be awarded in the Palais de l’Institut de France, Paris, France on October 30. The award is named in honour of William Klein, the American born French photographer and filmmaker. The award, which will be conducted once in every two years alternating with Photography Prize Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, will reward the photographer of all nationalities and ages for their entire career in photography. The award carries a monetary prize of 1,20,000 euros.Acadmie des beaux-arts Photography Award - William KleinKey points
i. Awards: Rai won Padma Shree in 1972, which is a first for any photographer, photographer of the year in 1992 in America for his story “Human Management of Wildlife in India” for the National Geographic, Officer des Arts et des Letters award by the French government in 2009 and also Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian Government in 2016.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Wing Commander Anjali Singh becomes India’s first female military diplomat to join Indian Mission in Russia
On September 10, 2019 Wing Commander Anjali Singh became India’s first female military diplomat posted on an Indian mission abroad after joining the Indian Embassy in Russia as Deputy Air Attache (air force officer involved in diplomatic operations). She previously served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for17 years as an Aeronautical Engineer(AE) and is also trained on MiG-29 aircraft.Anjali Singh becomes India's first female military diplomat to join Indian Mission in Russia

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Air-to-Air missile Astra successfully flight tested by IAF from Su-30 MKI from the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha
On September 17, 2019, The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully flight-tested air-to-air missile Astra from Su-30 MKI as a part of user trials from the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha. It is India’s first air-to-air missile which is engaged accurately with the live aerial target demonstrating its capability.

  • Astra, beyond-visual-range missile, is capable of engaging targets of different ranges and altitudes including long-range and short-range targets.
  • It has a range of over 70 km and can fly towards its target at a speed of over 5,555 kilometres per hour………………Click here to Read more

DRDO presents war gaming software to the Indian Navy at ISSA Delhi
On September 16, 2019, the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) handed over New-Generation Wargaming Software to the Indian Navy with the aim of enabling Maritime Warfare Centres (MWCs) and train using the latest technologies. The software was handed over by DRDO chairman and defence secretary G. Satheesh Reddy to G Ashok Kumar, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff at the Institute for Systems Studies and Analysis (ISSA), Delhi. The software is developed by DRDO’s laboratory- ISSA, Delhi in collaboration with MWC of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.DRDO presents war gaming software to the Indian Navy at ISSA DelhiKey points
Software: It enables global wargaming scenarios and also enables exercises to be conducted between geographically-dispersed locations over a Wide Area Network(WAN).

Indian Air Force gets the first shipment of new version of Israeli Guided Bomb Spice 2000
On September 15, 2019, The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the first consignment of the upgraded version of the Guided Bomb Spice-2000 with Mark 84 warheads and bombs from Israel at the Gwalior airbase, Madhya Pradesh. The bombs are being given to India under a contract worth about Rs 300 crore signed between India and Israel in June 2019.
Key points:
i. The SPICE (stands for Smart, Precise Impact and Cost-Effective) is a guidance and maneuvering kit manufactured by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
ii. In the Balakot airstrike, the IAF has successfully used this bomb, known as ‘Building Blaster’. This bomb has the potential to completely demolish a building. The bomb was acquired by the Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft’s home base Gwalior as the aircraft is capable of firing Israeli bombs.
iii. Balakot strike:  India carried out airstrikes in Pakistan in the early hours of February 26, 2019, destroying the biggest terror camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and eliminating a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis.
About IAF:
♦ Headquarters: New Delhi
♦ Founded: 8 October 1932
♦ Motto:Touch the sky with glory
♦ Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) : Birender Singh Dhanoa
About Israel:
♦ Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
♦ Capital: Jerusalem
♦ Currency: Israeli new shekel

SPORTS

Novak Djokovic passes Jimmy Connors for fourth place in the all-time list of most weeks in top spot in ATP Rankings
Serbian professional tennis player, Novak Djokovic has started his 269th week at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings 2019 and surpassed Jimmy Connors (268 weeks) of United States (US) for 4th  place in the all-time list of most weeks in top spot.
i. Roger Federer of Switzerland (310 weeks) got the top spot in the latest list followed by Pete Sampras(286 weeks) of US.
ii. India’s rising tennis player Sumit Nagal (22) of Haryana , who made it a career-best position in the ATP rankings &  secured 159th position in the latest rankings released……………………Click here to Read more

Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova beats Petra Martic winning the 15th WTA singles career title at 2019 Zhengzhou Open in China
On September 15, 2019, World no.2 Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova won her career 15th WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) title by defeating Croatia’s Petra Martic at the 6th edition of the 2019 Zhengzhou Open at Zhongyuan Tennis training base management Center, China. The prize money of the event that was held from September 9-15 was $1,000,000.
Key points
Doubles: America’s Nicole Melichar and Czech republic’s Kveta Peschke won the doubles title by defeating Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) and Tamara Zidansek (Slovenia).

STATE NEWS

HP CM Jai Ram Thakur launched the Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline ‘1100’ for redressal of public grievances 
On September 16, 2019, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh (HP) Shri Jai Ram Thakur launched the “Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline ‘1100’ (Chief Minister’s Service Resolution Helpline) for redressal of public grievances in a speedy and time bound manner. The helpline functions from 7am-10pm from monday-saturday. By this service, HP became the fourth state in the country after Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to launch this helpline.
About Mukhya Mantri SevaSankalp Helpline ‘1100’:
56 state departments are involved in this helpline by geo-mapping and geo-tagging.
Grievances will be addressed within a minimum period of 1 week and a maximum of 2 weeks.

A 3-day long traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded in Agartala, Tripura
A 3-day long traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded with boat race & swimming competitions at Rudrasagar lake in Agartala, Tripura. Chief Minister (CM) of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb flagged off the boat race.
Key points:
i. The Jal Utsav has number of events including Manasha mangal as well as cultural programmes.
ii. Neermahal is a water palace constructed by Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya in the middle of Rudrasagar lake in 1930 as Manikya’s summer spot being greatly inspired by Mughal style of architecture.
About Tripura:
♦ Capital
: Agartala
♦ Governor: Ramesh Bais
♦ National Parks: Clouded Leopard National Park, Rajbari National Park

Udhampur district of J&K organized the first women-only marathon against drug addiction 
On September 15, 2019, The Udhampur district of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) along with non-governmental organization (NGO) Dogra Kranti Dal organized the first women-only marathon on the theme of drug awareness in lines with Prime minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Fit India movement. It was attended by chief patron Dogra Kranti Dal and former Member of the Legislative Assembly(MLA) Balwant Singh Mankotia and others.
i. Women from different age groups participated in the marathon.
ii. The first 3 winners were given the cash prize of ₹31,00, ₹21,00 and ₹11,00 respectively.
About Jammu & Kashmir:
 National Parks: City Forest (Salim Ali) National Park, Dachigam National Park, Hemis National Park, Kishtwar National Park
 Wildlife Sanctuaries: Baltal-Thajwas WLS, Changthang Cold Desert WLS, Gulmarg WLS, Jasrota WLS, Karakoram (Nubra Shyok) WLS etc

Children’s week organized in Anganwadi centers of the Uttar Pradesh from 16 – 21 September, 2019
Children’s week celebrated from September 16- 21, 2019 at Anganwadi centers in Uttar Pradesh. As September is named as Nutrition Month, a variety of activities are taking place at the Anganwadi centers across the state.
Key points:
i. Mamta Day was organized on the first day of children’s week as a part of bal suposhan utsav. Mothers cooked food from their homes and brought them to the Anganwadi centers and fed the children in groups.
ii. On the second day of the week, the Suposhan goonj was organized, that was started with Nutrition Ferry. Children, adolescent girls and women participated to take pledge of giving proper food to children.
iii. Rural Health Cleanliness and awareness campaigns are also included in the week long celebration.
About Uttar Pradesh:
♦ Capital: Lucknow
♦ Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
♦ Governor: Anandiben Patel
♦ National Parks: Dudhwa National Park
Wildlife sanctuaries: Bakhira WLS ,Chandraprabha WLS ,Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Bird WLS ,Hastinapur WLS ,Kaimur WLS ,Katerniaghat WLS ,Kishanpur WLS.

Congress veteran & freedom fighter BJ Khatal Patil passed away at 100 in Maharashtra
On September 16, 2019 Congress veteran BJ Khatal Patil passed away at the age of 100 due to Pneumonia at his residence in Rangaragalli in Sangamner town of Maharashtra. Born on March 26, 1919, in Sangamner town in Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, Khatal served as a lawyer and took part in the Indian independence struggle and Non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Key points
i. He served in the Maharashtra legislative assembly as a minister between 1962 and 1985.
ii. He also authored several books where his first book “Antariche Dhave” was first published in the year 2011.

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